UNIT I

LESSON 1:
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER

Objective Thus, we can label computer system or system or computer

COMPUTER AWARENESS FOR MANAGERS

The objective of this lesson is to give you insight in to: itself as a combination of five elements: Hardware, Software,
• Introduction to computer Data, Information and Process.
• To make the student understand the characteristics of We will be discussing these components in details in later
computers lessons. Let’s discuss some features of computer first.
• To understand the different types of computers and Characteristics of Computers
computers limitations From the Characteristics point of view all the computer have
• To understand the classification of computers certain common characteristics irrespective of their type and size.
Computer is not just a calculating machine; they also have a
• To know why computer literacy is must
capability of doing complex activities and operations.
Introduction Main characteristics of the computer can be summarized as:
You know that we are living in computer age and hence, most
1. Speed: Computer is very fast and accurate device. It can
of our activities are influenced by the use of computers. It is
process millions and millions of instructions1 within
now almost impossible to achieve improvements either in the
seconds.
field of science and technology or in any other field, without
using it. 2. Accuracy: Computer results are highly accurate.
A question generally arises in one’s mind that, “What makes 3. Memory: Computers have a large amount of memory to
this equipment so popular?” Well the answer can be given as: hold a very large amount of data or information.
Had it been not evolved, we would have been some 50 years 4. Programmed Intelligence: Computer themselves as such
back! are dumb terminals. But they are programmed in such a
To explore the fascinating features it has, that makes it way that they can perform those operations which have
everyman’s machine, lets explore it. been fed into them in the form of executable programs.

Introduction to Computer 5. Diligence: Computer is free from problems like lack of

The word “computer” comes from word compute, which concentration, and confusions etc. Computer may never be
means to calculate. “A computer is a programmable machine confused like humans.
(or more precisely, a programmable sequential state machine) 6. Versatility: We can perform many different types of tasks
that operates on data and is used for wide range of activities”. on computer. One moment it might be busy in calculating
A computer is a tool, which can be used to read and write text, the statistical date for annual performance evaluation of a
draw and look at images, and send and receive e-mail. There are business organization and next moment it might be
many other things that a computer system can help you do as working on playing movies.
well, like math and science experiments. Computer systems are 7. Power of Remembrance: Unlike humans, computer can
especially good at storing large amounts of information and store things for unlimited period of time.
helping you find exactly what you want to know. Types of Computers
Definition: A better approach to define computer is to define it There are two basic kinds of computers: analog and
in terms of its functionality. Hence a Computer can be defined digital.
as “An electronic and electromechanical device capable of
Analog computers
receiving data, processing the data inputted, and generating the
Analog computers are analog devices. That is, they have
output in the form of information”. In the definition, we
continuous states rather than discrete numbered states. An
come across some terminologies such as electronic, electrome-
analog computer can represent fractional or irrational values
chanical device etc. Let’s discuss one by one. An electric device is
exactly, with no round off. Analog computers are almost never
that device which runs by electricity. An electromechanical device
used outside of experimental settings. They handle or process
is one which performs mechanical movements upon receiving
information, which is of physical nature.
the electricity. Whatever we are inputting into the computer will
be treated as Data and whatever has been generated by com-
puter will be treated as Information. If the information
generated by computer is not up-to the specifications, then we
can again enter the information into the computer and label it as
data. So, it forms a feedback loop.

© Copy Right: Rai University

11.504 1
 • Minicomputers The term minicomputer originated in
COMPUTER AWARENESS FOR MANAGERS

1960s when it was realized that many computing tasks do

not require an expensive contemporary mainframe
computers but can be solved by a small, inexpensive
computer. Initial minicomputers were 8 bit and 12 bit
machines but by 1970’s almost all minicomputers were 16
bit machines. The 16 bit minicomputers have the
advantage of large instruction set and address field; and
efficient storage and handling of text, in comparison to
lower bit machines. Thus, 16-bit minicomputer was more
powerful machine, which could be used in variety of
applications and could support business applications along
with the scientific applications. With the advancement in
technology the speed, memory size and other characteristics
developed and the minicomputer was then used for
An analog computer various stand alone or dedicated applications. The
minicomputer was then used as a multi-user system, which
Digital Computer can be used by various users at the same time. Gradually
Digital computer is a programmable-clocked sequential state the architectural requirement of minicomputers grew and a
machine. A digital computer uses discrete states. A binary digital 32-bit minicomputer, which was called super mini, was
computer uses two discrete states, such as positive/negative, introduced. The super mini had more peripheral devices,
high/low, on/off, used to represent the binary digits zero and larger memory and could support more users working
one. They process data, which is essentially in a binary state. simultaneously on the computer in comparison to
previous minicomputers.
• Workstation is a powerful stand-alone computer of the
sort used in computer aided design and other applications
requiring a high-end, expensive machine with considerable
calculating or graphics capability. Machines using Intel
Processor P2 at 400 MHz is an example of workstation.
Now these days computers having P-4 or AMD Athlon
type microprocessor also comes in the classification of
workstation.
• Mainframe Computers are very powerful, large-scale
general-purpose computers. Their word length may be
Digital Computer 48,60 or 64 bits, memory capacity being in some megabytes
and storage capacity in some terabytes etc.
Now these days, we rarely came across of analog computers in
routine life. They are used where large amount of data are to be
processed or very complex calculations are to be made and
Classification of Computers these tasks are beyond the capacities of mini computers.
Digital computer does not get evolve in sparks time. It took They are used in research organizations, large industries,
more than five decades to emerge it as the most usable devise airlines reservation where a large database has to be
today. Let’s take the glimpse of its siblings. maintained. Examples are IBM 4300 series, IBM
• Micro Computers A microcomputer’s CPU is a Enterprise system/9000 series.
microprocessor. The microcomputer originated in late • Super Computers processing capabilities lies in the range
1970’s. The first microcomputers were built around 8-bit of GIPS 2, word length 64-128 or may be in 256 or so.
microprocessor chips. What do we mean by an 8-bit chip? Memory capacity in some gigabytes or in terabytes and
It means that the chip can retrieve instructions/data from storage capacity in pixabytes. It contains a number of
storage, manipulate, and process an 8-bit data at a time or CPU’s, which operate in parallel to make it faster, giving
we can say that the chip has a built- in 8-bit data transfer them their speed through parallel processing. They are used
path. 8088 was a 8/16 bit chip i.e. an 8-bit path is used to for weather forecasting, weapons research and
move data between chip and primary storage (external development, rocketing, aerodynamics, atomic, nuclear and
path), but processing is done within the chip using a 16-bit plasma physics. Supercomputers have limited use and
path (internal path) at a time 8086 is a 16/16 bit chip i.e. limited market because of their very high price. They are
the internal and external paths both are 16 bit wide. Both being used at some research centers and government
these chips can support a primary storage capacity of up to agencies involving sophisticated scientific and engineering
1 Mega byte (MB). tasks.

© Copy Right: Rai University

2 11.504
 how computers communicate with each other and the rules that

COMPUTER AWARENESS FOR MANAGERS

govern that communication. You will see how managers at
various levels use computers in different ways and understand
why those managers who use computers wisely end up with a
powerful business partner.
Several microcomputer application packages, such as word
processor, data manager, spreadsheet, and graphics and
communication, wi1l are introduced. These programs give
people who are not mathematical wizards or computer
programmers the opportunities to use computers and the
advantages that go along with them.
Analysis
Super Computer List down how the computerization of some government
departments has changed the scenario in terms of customer
Computer Limitations satisfaction.
You have noticed that computer is one of the most powerful
machine that has been ever developed. But we have all read Answer
articles similar to the one about the man who was treated for
pneumonia and then charged by the hospital’s computer for the
use of the delivery room and nursery. Such “computer failures”
may be amusing, but most such foul-ups happen because
people fail to consider some basic computer limitations.
Without reliable programs and sound logic, no computer
system will perform sufficiently.
As being man made machine, computer also has some
limitations. These are:
• It cannot think: Scientists are working very hard to enable
computer to think. Some achievements have been seen in
this area in the form of MYCIN etc. But to the bottom-
line, we can state that an average computer which is used
extensively used now these days, does not possess thinking
capabilities of its own.
• It can not manage self: A computer by itself can not
manage self in terms of managing self against errors or
performing required operation/recovery in catastrophe
environment.
The Need for Computer Literacy
I have already told you that the computers are found nearly
everywhere in our personal lives. Unless you intend to be a
hermit, computers will affect you. What is computer literacy, and
why would you want or need it? Will, computer literacy means
having a general knowledge about computers, knowing who
uses them, what kinds of functions they perform, how they are
used by others, where they are, how they are affecting society,
and learning how to use them to benefit your own life or work.
Some experts think that, eventually, the person who does not
know how to use a computer will be just as handicapped in
performing his or her job as the person today who cannot read.
This formal introduction to the computer leads to further
exploration in your quest for computer literacy. In subsequent
chapters, you will learn more about the operation of the
computer and its specific parts, find out what devices are used in
conjunction with the computer, and discover how those devices
are related. Later, chapters are devoted to both large and small
systems, where you will study the differences between each
system and the types of jobs that each performs. You will learn

© Copy Right: Rai University

11.504 3
 Question Student Note
COMPUTER AWARENESS FOR MANAGERS

Ques 1: write a short notes on workstation and super com-

puter.
Ques 2: What is the different between analog and digital
computer?
Answers

© Copy Right: Rai University

4 11.504
Student Notes

COMPUTER AWARENESS FOR MANAGERS

© Copy Right: Rai University

11.504 5